Yo, here's the fifth installment of my Amazing Race story! Sorry if I didn't update last week, though; my computer was acting like it was on crack and the stupid phone line died on us because of a stupid windstorm, so I couldn't use the Internet. Yeah. That sucked. Why do I still talk?
Note: I wrote this chappie while I was drinking soda, so don't be surprised at some of the...um...weird events that occur...
Responses:
CronoMaster: Sorry. I was in a bit of a rush when I was typing the last chapter. Hope this is better!
IloveRoy: Zephyr Analea beat you to the punch. Try submitting another, though; persistence is rewarded!
hoogiman: I'm glad you enjoy it!
legoman727: Sorry. Zephyr Analea beat you to it.
Anters: Thanks! That was interesting, though; you liked it when I portrayed you as a girl?
Nintendo Nut1: YAYNESS! More Link Coming Up!
superdave: Zephyr Analea beat you again. Sorry, but the first one to review gets the job! Try again; I could put you as a co-host for one of the legs!
Backstage...
"Where to now...Pherae? Yoshi's Island? Kongo Jungle? Where should we go today..." Nintendo Nut1 asked, eating a chocolate bar.
"I could help you out there..." a girl's voice rang out. Nintendo Nut1 turned to see a 15-year-old girl with purple knee-length hair, purple eyes not unlike amethysts, and she donned a black Nurse Joy outfit. The girl asked, "No clue where to go, huh? I'm Zephyr Analea; I will delight all with my company as co-host for the chapter."
"That's nice..." Nintendo Nut1 chewed on a BBQ sparerib while she was talking. Cocking her head to one side, she asked, "Where do you think we should go, then, Ms. Mewtwo's Amore?"
"Oh, shut up." Pulling a dart out of her pocket, Zephyr Analea abruptly tossed it at the map and watched it spear a city on the map. Looking at where the dart landed, she remarked, "There, huh? With beautiful architecture and a foundation of romance, this should be good..." she said as she and Nintendo Nut1 left for the set of the Amazing Race...
"This is Petalburg City, a bustling berg in the Hoenn Region, known for the many new Pokèmon bursting from the woodwork." Nintendo Nut1 replied. "And outside the city is Hotel Roselia: an important stronghold used to protect Petalburg City during the Great Pokèmon Crusades." She then asked, "Why do we say this? To remind one of the happenings of the last chapter?"
"Exactly." Zephyr Analea quipped, and continued, "Teams arrived here for a mandatory rest period that allows them to have a chance to eat, sleep, and mingle with the other teams. The remaining teams have no idea what's waiting for them, and must follow a series of clues to reach the next Pit Stop. Will Pikachu and Pichu retain their lead? And can Young Link and Dr. Mario get out of last place?" She added, "Why don't they ask if Mewtwo will get out of seventh, huh? That's racist right there! HOW DARE THEY CAST MEWTWO OFF LIKE THAT! WHEN I FIND-"
"Okay, okay, chill out already," Nintendo Nut1 replied. Suddenly the chocolate sugar kicked in and started jumping all over the place. "JUMPY JUMPERTON! THIS IS FUN!"
"...anyway, while Nintendo Nut1 is bouncing around, Pikachu and Pichu, who arrived at 11:47 am, will depart at 11:47 pm." Zephyr Analea replied.
Pikachu and Pichu
1st to depart, 11:47 pm
Location: Outside Hotel Roselia
"Open the clue." Pikachu replied. After tearing it open, Pikachu read, "'Go back to Petalburg City and locate the Shake Pokè Disco...'"
"Teams must now use a marked car and go to the Shake Pokè Disco in Petalburg City. Once inside, teams must find the famed DJ Danger Corphish, known for hits like Hydro Hijinks, Wizzo, and Weapon of Choice. Once they locate DJ Danger Corphish, teams will receive their next clue." Nintendo Nut1 replied, before going crazy again and shouted, "DANCE, ALL YA SHIZNITS! D-IZ-ANCE! YAY!" She thus earned sweatdrops from Zephyr Analea and the readers of the story.
"'You have 50 dollars for this leg of the race...'" Pichu finished. "Let's go!"
Yoshi and DK
2nd to depart, 11:53 pm
Location: Outside Hotel Roselia
"Shake Pokè Disco...ever hear of that place?" Yoshi asked.
"I don't think so..." DK replied.
"We're screwed..." Yoshi finished, hopping into a marked car and driving to the disco.
Fox and Falco
3rd to depart, 12:01 am
Location: Outside Hotel Roselia
"So, now we head to this disco?" Falco mused, running a feathered head through his head. "This'll be good..."
"I'm not too sure about this..."Fox griped. However, he and Falco got into a marked car (nice one, too. A Carrera GT.) and drove off down the highway.
Roy and Lilina
4th to depart, 12:09 am
Location: Outside Hotel Roselia
"A disco...I don't think I've heard of it..." Roy said in a curious manner.
"If there's dancing, I'd like to go..." Lilina squealed.
"Well, if you say so." Roy remarked as they got into a marked car and drove off. "We have got to have some fun on this race...so why not?"
Mario and Luigi
5th to depart, 12:11 am
Location: Outside Hotel Roselia
"Wow-a, a disco? Count-a me in!" Luigi said enthusiastically.
"But-a we are-a in a race-a, Luigi!" Mario griped as they got into a marked car.
"Oh-a, come on! You-a sound like-a a jaded old-a man! If we-a don't lose ourselves-a in this adventure-a, we'll-a never have-a any fun!" Luigi scolded, hopping into the driver's seat and putting on a pair of sunglasses. "Oh,-a YEAH! Let's-a go!"
"You-a do know that-a you'll-a be blind as-a bats, right?" Mario said.
"Oh." Removing the glasses, Luigi drove onto the highway and strung their way to the disco.
Marth and Sheeda
6th to depart, 12:17 am
Location: Outside Hotel Roselia
"Ooh, a disco! Shall we?" Marth asked, holding Sheeda's hand and bowing before his blue-haired beauty.
"Let's!" Sheeda squeaked, hopping into a marked car and driving off.
Ness and Mewtwo
7th to depart, 12:21 am
Location: Outside Hotel Roselia
"Well, a disco?" Mewtwo raised his eyebrows in polite incredulity and muttered, "There's probably a lot of rambunctious folk over there. Employ caution."
"Will do!" Ness remarked as they got into a car and drove off.
"EEEEEEEEEEE! IT'S MEWTWO! EEEEEEEEE!" Zephyr Analea screamed offstage, sounding like a sugar-high banshee.
Peach and Samus
8th to depart, 12:35 am
Location: Outside Hotel Roselia
"A disco? Off we go, then." Peach whimsically replied, going to a car and driving off.
Link and Zelda
9th to depart, 12:45 am
Location: Outside Hotel Roselia
"So, we get to dance the night away..." Link remarked as he read the clue.
"That's so cool! Let's go!" Zelda squealed as they got into a marked car and drove off.
Bowser and Ganondorf
10th to depart, 12:55 am
Location: Outside Hotel Roselia
"A disco, huh? Ready to tear it up?" Bowser asked as they got into a marked car and drove off.
Young Link and Dr. Mario
Last to depart, 1:00 am
Location: Outside Hotel Roselia
'Nuff said.
Pikachu and Pichu
Currently in 1st place
Location: Lake LaRousse Avenue, 3.1 miles from the Petalburg City entrance
"Yo, watch it!" Pikachu yelled as Yoshi bumped them into the guardrail next to the road. "You tryin' to kill us?"
"Well, we'll do what we have to to win!" Yoshi squeaked as Pikachu plowed into the side of the car as bit of the metal door flew into the street. "Hey! That wasn't fair!"
"All's fair in racing and war!" Pikachu retorted, slamming the car into Yoshi, the rear spoiler snapping off and blowing out one of the tires.
"Oh, that tears it!" Yoshi screamed. He plowed the car full force into Pikachu, sending their car flying off the highway and into the air. "See you next fall!" Yoshi screamed as he and DK rushed off.
"AAAAAAHHH! WE'RE GOING TO DIE!" Pichu screamed as their car plummeted into Petalburg City below.
"Quick! Get into the back!" Pikachu screamed. Grabbing Pichu's hand and pulling him into the back, he replied, "Are we going to die?"
"Well, before we die, let me say it was an honor to be your partner during the race." Pichu replied, clutching Pikachu.
"Same here." Pikachu replied. He then added, "We're going to be eliminated, or worse, killed, so brace yourself!"
The car soon was flying into Petalburg City as people and Pokèmon watched in horror as the car flew into the city, the cold, hard concrete looming ever closer into view. However, the car released several airbags that protected Pikachu and Pichu from any injury as their car crashed through the roof of the Shake Pokè Disco building and landed on the dance floor, scaring several partygoers and earning several badmouths from others.
"Did we die?" Pikachu asked.
"Hey, we're in the Shake Pokè Disco!" Pichu squealed as they got out of the car, stumbling and coughing all the while.
"You can't be serious!" Pikachu glanced out the window and took in their surroundings. The disco was full of partygoing Pokèmon who were dancing and drinking and dicing and wenching several girl Pokèmon. Looking around, they noticed a Corphish who was staring and muttered, "Yo, I've heard of bringing down the house, but that's just w-iz-ack!" thus earning him several chuckles from sober partygoers.
"HEY! You're DJ Danger Corphish, aren't you?" Pichu asked. "I've heard of you! Yo, Mag, we's gots the rap patrol on my capito, foos that wanna make sho my girls is ho's, Rap critics who says "Pokès, moolah, girls," I'm from Malibu, stupid, where we is from the ghetto, ho! I have your latest record!" Pichu produced a CD from his backpack and asked, "Can I have your autograph?"
"Fo shizzle, nizzle, gotta keep the flo dope, a'ight?" DJ Danger Corphish grabbed a pen and signed the CD cover and then added, "Yo, youse'll need thizzle, t-iz-oo!" He handed them the next clue and asked, "Now, get that c-iz-ar outta the club, will youse? I gots a party to DJ-izzle, and I gotta be big pimpin', ya hear?" Pikachu and Pichu got back into the car and drove out the front door, then skidded to a stop and read the next clue.
"That was fun," Pichu replied. "He also signed my CD! YAY!" Pichu then began reading the clue and said, "'Make your way to the ferry station outside Petalburg City and book tickets to travel to your next destination, Alto Mare...'"
"Teamsmust now travel to the Lapras Ferry Building outside Petalburg City on Route 35. Once there, teams must buy tickets to go to the city of Alto Mare in Johto, known as the 'Jewel of the Seas' and a city that lent its dramatic backdrop to the Pokèmon Heroes movie," Zephyr Analea explained. "Upon reaching the city, teams must locate the Renaissance Bridge to receive their next clue. Wait, where's Mewtwo...?"
"Alto Mare!" Pikachu belted out. "Man, it's been too long since I saw it last... let's go!" With that, Pikachu put the pedal to the floor and bolted through the Petalburg streets towards the ferry station.
Yoshi and DK
Currently in 2nd place
Location: Shake Pokè Disco, Petalburg City
"Well, well. So where can one find this DJ Danger Corphish?" Yoshi asked.
"He's over there." The barkeep answered, pointing towards the center of the dance floor.
"Can we get out of here?" DK vexed. "This Slaking is staring at me, and I don't like it!"
He chose this moment to look up and noticed the car-shaped hole in the ceiling. "Holy banana! Where'd that come from?"
"Oh, a Ford Mustang-a Shelby GT 2005, nice car- crash-landed in here earlier. The occupants- a Pikachu and Pichu, I believe- talked to the DJ and-" The barkeep was interrupted by Yoshi.
"WHAT!" Yoshi screamed. "Pikachu and Pichu beat US! Come on, we have to get the clue!" After bowling over all the partygoers and literally running into the DJ, they grabbed the clue, hopped into their car, and blasted through the streets to catch up with Pikachu and Pichu.
Roy and Lilina
Currently in 3rd place
Location: Shake Pokè Disco, Petalburg City
"Here we are..." Gazing around the dance floor, Roy was immediately besieged by a drunken Blissey who was trying to hit on him. Tossing the Blissey into the crowd, he yelled to Lilina, "Do you see DJ Danger Corphish anywhere?"
"EEEK! HELP!" Lilina screamed as several drunken Spheal tried to hit on her and steal her away. Roy rushed to her rescue and kicked the Spheal into the wall one by one until they were KO'ed by his kicking. "Thanks, Roy." Lilina replied, clutching her redheaded swordsman protectively.
"Hey, you're welcome!" Roy grinned, blushing furiously. "But let's find that DJ and get out of this madhouse first..."
Fox and Falco
Currently in 4th place
Location: Shake Pokè Disco, Petalburg City
"Augh! Yo, Fox! Get rid of the guys to my rear!" Falco screeched as several female Taillow were pursuing him through the nightclub.
"Hold on!" Fox yelled, heading in Falco's direction and shooting all the Pokèmon in his way.
"Bah! I ate that!" Falco spluttered as a Taillow swiped at his StarFox jacket.
Mario and Luigi
Currently in 5th place
Location: Shake Pokè Disco, Petalburg City
"Yowsa! How-a will we find this-a DJ in all of-a this crap?" Luigi yelled. He then shrieked as a Skitty double-slapped his butt.
"I don't-a know... hey! I'll-a have you know-a that's sexual-a harassment!" Mario yelled as he tossed a Bagon who smacked his butt into the crowd of partygoers. "I-a hate this-a place..."
Marth and Sheeda
Currently in 6th place
Location: Shake Pokè Disco, Petalburg City
"NO! MARTH!" Sheeda screamed as an incoming Torchic tried to burn her with an Ember attack.
"I'm coming!" Marth found a neglected blaster on the bar and shot at the spotlights above the floor. They abruptly crashed to the ground, scattering the Pokèmon and scaring the living daylights out of Sheeda's attacker. "You saved me! Thanks, Marth."
"Heh, no biggie."
Link and Zelda
Currently in 7th place
Location: Shake Pokè Disco, Petalburg City
"Whoa!" Link yelled as lighting, steel beams and plaster rained down upon them. "Yo, Marth, watch where you're shooting, will you!"
"Oof! Can't you tell your friends from your enemies?" Zelda vexed. "Hey, Link! There's the DJ!"
"What!" Roy screamed above the roar of the crowd. "Where?"
"That way!" Zelda yelled, pointing in the direction of the turntables. The teams shoved their way through and each received a clue from the DJ. "Good. Let's get out of here..."
Ness and Mewtwo
Currently in 8th place
Location: Shake Pokè Disco, Petalburg City
"Yow!" Mewtwo yelled as several Pokèmon tried to bear hug him. "Where's that stupid DJ..."
"YOU LEAVE MEWTWO ALONE!" Zephyr Analea yelled as she dove into the crowd, punching and kicking all the Pokèmon that came at her.
"That should be enough of a distraction while we get the clue..." Ness sweatdropped as he located DJ Danger Corphish and received the clue. "Let's ditch this place..."
"Agreed. Come, Zephie, we mustn't stay longer." Dragging Zephyr Analea out of the nightclub, Mewtwo put her offstage in a gentle manner as they hopped into their getaway car and drove off in the direction of the ferry station.
"YAY! HE GAVE ME A NICKNAME!" Zephyr shrieked offstage. "This was meant to be..." she remarked, swooning somewhat as Nintendo Nut1 backed away and stared in complete disbelief.
Peach and Samus
Currently in 9th place
Location: Shake Pokè Disco, Petalburg City
"Hell, where's that DJ?" Samus said as she fired into the crowd, sending Pokèmon flying all over the dance floor.
"I have no idea..." Peach replied.
"Hey, git outta here, you old hag!" a heckler in the crowd screamed.
"...old...HAG!" Peach screamed. At that she pounced onto the crowd and beat the crap out of everyone, creating an anime dust-cloud that obscured so much that there was no chance of a visual description inside the disco.
Bowser and Ganondorf
Currently in 10th place
Location: Shake Pokè Disco, Petalburg City
"There's the DJ!" Bowser whispered, as so that Peach didn't hear and attack them. Sneaking over to the DJ (and playing the Mission: Impossible theme from a portable boom box they jacked in Eagleland), they got the clue and stealthily escaped to the safety of their car and drove off in the unsettling moonlight.
Young Link and Dr. Mario
Currently in last place
Location: Shake Pokè Disco, Petalburg City
"DUCK AND COVER!" Dr. Mario screamed as several Pokèmon stampeded in their direction. Jumping to safety behind the bar, Young Link attempted to reach the DJ, but was held up as Peach chased after him. Running around the dance floor, he yelled, "I could always outrun Peach...why can't I NOW!"
"SHE'S NOT CARRYING A LOT OF CRAP NOW!" Dr. Mario screamed. "AND SHE WASN'T PMSing WHEN YOU FOUGHT HER, FOR THAT MATTER!" he added.
"DOOOOOOOOM!" Peach screeched. At this point, Young Link screamed like a little girl, ran by the DJ, swiped the clue, grabbed Dr. Mario and rushed out of the building posthaste before Peach could pounce on them.
Pikachu and Pichu
Currently in 1st place
Location: Ferry Station, Route 35
"Crap...the ferry station's closed." Pichu noted.
"It's 2:30 in the morning, for Lugia's sake. Why wouldn't it be closed?" Pikachu retorted.
"Well, sorry! I just want to get out of here before the other teams came!" Pichu snapped.
"I don't think that's happening...take a look." Pikachu pointed behind Pichu, and he turned to see Yoshi's car drive up behind them.
"...crap. This sucks." Pichu said.
"You pulled a fast one on us, Pichu." Yoshi remarked, a smirk crawling onto his face.
"Hey, you're the one who smashed us off the friggin' cliff!"
"...sorry about that. So, what now?" Yoshi asked.
"I have no clue. Your guess is as good as mine about now..." Pichu squeaked.
3½ hours later...
"Man, do these teams snake us or what?" Yoshi spluttered as all the teams were there with him.
"All the teams are now on the same ferry to Alto Mare, in the Johto Region. (Is that right?)" Nintendo Nut1 replied. "Once they reached the Venice-like hamlet, teams must locate the Renaissance Bridge to receive the next clue."
Alto Mare, Johto Region
The Ferry from Petalburg City
Pikachu and Pichu
Currently in 1st place
Location: Gorriti Canal, Alto Mare
"Holy crap...you're actually saying that you CAME here!" Pichu spluttered in disbelief as he stared at the fine Italian architecture that graced the Alto Mare canals.
"That's correct." Pikachu replied, glancing up and down the canal as gondolas, motorboats and the occasional police boat mazed their way through the canals. "If I remember correctly, the Gorriti Canal should lead us to the Renaissance Bridge."
"So let's go already!" Pichu screamed.
"Calm down!" Pikachu scolded. "Besides, the air is clean and the water is sparkling, so we should sit back, have a soda and relax!"
Mario and Luigi
Currently in 2nd place
Location: Gorriti Canal, Alto Mare
"Oh-a wow... doesn't-a this bring-a back some-a déjà vu?" Luigi asked his older brother as he languidly glanced through the canal.
"Indeed-a...this-a reminds me of our-a hometown in-a Italy!" Mario replied. His ears picked up the sound of a violin, and when he saw the source of the sound, he beheld four men who were played a violin, cello, viola and a bass. They played splendidly, and Mario said, "Oh-a my god, they-a even have violin-a bands here!"
"OOH! I wanna listen-a!" Luigi reported, having their gondola rower stop near the restaurant they were playing at. "This-a is heaven-a."
"I-a agree."
Roy and Lilina
Currently in 3rd place
Location: Gorriti Canal, Alto Mare
"Oh, ROY!" Lilina squealed. "It's BEAUTIFUL here!"
"Man, who'd' a thought that a marvelous city would exist in a crazy land like this?" Roy mused. "I'm really glad a place like this exists, though. One, it's so peaceful and serene, and two, it's an ideal place to escape to, you catch my drift?"
"Yeah..." Lilina remarked. I'd love to escape here with you, Roy, she thought.
Yoshi and DK
Currently in 4th place
Location: Gorriti Canal, Alto Mare
"Whoa..." Yoshi said.
"You can say that again..." DK gaped.
"Whoa..."
"Oh, shut up." DK muttered as he tried jacking a passing banana boat.
Link and Zelda
Currently in 5th place
Location: Gorriti Canal, Alto Mare
"By Din's fire..." Link gasped.
"This place is more beautiful than the royal gardens of Hyrule!" Zelda exclaimed.
"And to think a beautiful city lay in such a madhouse region like this..." Link spoke.
"A beautiful city indeed..." Zelda gasped.
Pikachu and Pichu
Currently in 1st place
Location: The Renaissance Bridge, Alto Mare
"Here's the clue." Pichu said. Ripping it open, he read, "'Locate the Il Forte Gelato ice cream parlor...'"
"Teams must now locate the Il Forte Gelato Ice Cream and Frozen Yogurt Parlor, located in the center of town near the Museo Correr. (That is the name of an actual museum in Venice, the city Alto Mare is based on.)" Zephyr Analea explained. "Once there, teams can locate the next clue on the parlor counter. Hey, wait! Where's Mewtwo!"
Whoa! Don't get your panties in a bunch, I'm getting to that!
"Let's go then." Pikachu replied, directing their gondolier to the town center.
Ness and Mewtwo
Currently in 6th place
Location: Gorriti Canal, Alto Mare
"I'm hungry..." Ness said.
"..."
"I'm hungry..."
"..."
And so went a 'conversation' in the lives of Ness and Mewtwo.
Mario and Luigi
Currently in 2nd place
Location: The Renaissance Bridge, Alto Mare
"Wow, that was-a cool!" Luigi replied. "This-a is fun. Everything-a is fun!"
"It sure is..." Mario remarked as he read the clue. "...and it-a gets better! Who-a wants a gelato-a?"
"OOH, ME! ME!" Luigi shrieked.
"Let's-a go!" Mario replied as he jumped onto the bow of the gondola. "To-a Il Forte Gelato!"
Roy and Lilina
Currently in 3rd place
Location: The Renaissance Bridge, Alto Mare
"Il Forte Gelato? Ever heard of it, Lilina?" Roy asked.
"I'm just as in the dark as you are at this point..."
"Oh, well..." With that, they hopped back onto their gondola to locate the ice cream parlor.
Peach and Samus
Currently in 7th place
Location: The Renaissance Bridge, Alto Mare
"Ay ay ay..." Peach said as she read the clue. "That was fun, beating the crap out of those ungrateful Pokèmon! They don't know that I am a prize!"
"Yeah, the trophy for Most Demented Princess in Existence..." Samus retorted.
"SHUT UP!"
Bowser and Ganondorf
Currently in 8th place
Location: Gorriti Canal, Alto Mare
"GWAH! WHY DO WE KEEP SINKING INTO THE FRIGGIN' CANAL!" Bowser yelled as their 9th gondola sank. Bowser's voice was loud enough to shatter all the windows and sink all boats in a 25-foot radius.
"Maybe it's because of your overwhelmingly humongous physique..." Ganondorf said.
"...what?"
"Never mind." Ganondorf waded through the canal to the bridge, Bowser following close behind.
Link and Zelda
Currently in 1st place
Location: Il Forte Gelato, Alto Mare
"Wait, how'd we become first?" Link blurted out.
"Never mind that!" Zelda quipped. "Let's just get the clue already!" Rushing over to the clue box and tearing open a clue she had retrieved, she read, "'Road Block. Who has a sweet tooth?'"
"A Road Block is a task only one person will perform, and no one person can do more than six Road Blocks in the course of the entire race." Nintendo Nut1 said. "In this Road Block, that person has to eat 5 3-ounce servings of different flavored gelatos served by the cook. Once they have completed this task, teams will receive their next clue. WOOT! I LOVE YOU, LINK!"
"...okay, then...I'll do it." Zelda replied.
"..." Link raised an eyebrow in polite incredulity.
Pikachu and Pichu
Currently in 2nd place
Location: Il Forte Gelato, Alto Mare
"How did they get here before us!" Pikachu vexed as they grabbed the clue.
"Man, if that stupid shop owner didn't spill molasses onto the street, we would be in first!" Pichu complained.
"Bloody hell." Reading the clue, Pikachu replied, "You do it, Pichu. You like sweets."
"Sweet..."
Ness and Mewtwo
Currently in 3rd place
Location: Il Forte Gelato, Alto Mare
"I love having psychic powers." Ness said with an air of satisfaction.
"Agreed. I wonder why we didn't use them earlier." Mewtwo chuckled, then grabbed a clue and read it. "I'll perform this task. It should be easy."
"YAY MEWTWO!" Zephyr Analea cheered from the sidelines.
Fox and Falco
Currently in 4th place
Location: Il Forte Gelato, Alto Mare
"So, do you want the gelatos or should I?" Falco asked.
"I'll handle this..." Fox muttered, half-tired from the disco incident.
Marth and Sheeda
Currently in 9th place
Location: Il Forte Gelato, Alto Mare
"Wow...this city sure knows its architecture..." Marth said as he and Sheeda strolled through the city.
"Yeah, just wondrous." Sheeda answered. "This is grand! I'd like to come here again, just the two of us, Marth."
"That can be arranged...hey, there's the clue!" Reading their status a few lines above them, he asked, "Wait! We already fast-forwarded to the teams in the rear?"
"Looks like it..." Sheeda said as she read the clue. "You do it, Marth."
"Fine."
Young Link and Dr. Mario
Currently in last place
Location: Il Forte Gelato, Alto Mare
"I'll do it." Young Link said. Stepping into the parlor and seating himself in one of the many chairs scattered around the room, he noticed Zelda, Pichu, Mewtwo, Fox, Yoshi, Roy, Peach, Bowser, Marth, and Mario waiting impatiently, screaming their heads off, bitch-slapping competitors, and other crap like that. The chef chose this time to hand out 5 gelatos to each person, and everyone started eating. Mario had decided to literally gulp down the gelatos for the sake of the race, and he received the clue first. He ran outside to where Luigi was waiting and read the clue. "'Detour-a...Hide or Seek...'"
"A Detour is a choice between two tasks, each with its own pros and cons." Zephyr Analea remarked. "In this Detour, teams must choose between Hide or Seek. In Hide, teams must go to the Piazza San Marco, where the clue is sitting out in the open. Teams can only receive the clue if they evade the guards that patrol the plaza, however. This task is physically demanding, but teams with speed and stealth can finish quickly. In Seek, teams must locate the Hidden Garden from the Pokèmon Heroes movie using only the visual aids from the movie itself, in an iPod enclosed in the envelope with the clue. If they find the garden, a Latias will give them their next clue. This task is not demanding, but searching the city for a garden using only a movie can take a while. GO MEWTWO! YAY!"
"Let's Seek." Luigi said, but he noticed his brother clutching his head in pain and spinning around like a demented yo-yo. "What's-a wrong?"
"I-A GOT BRAIN FREEZE! AUGH-A! THE-A PAIN, THE-A PAIN!" Mario shrieked as he continued his erratic spinning around the ground, causing Luigi to sweatdrop and sigh.
"Sometimes-a I want-a to slap him-a..."
Pikachu and Pichu
Currently in 2nd place
Location: Outside Il Forte Gelato, Alto Mare
"Hide or Seek...shall we Seek?" Pichu asked.
"Sure! I remember where to go from last I was here!" Pikachu replied as they dashed towards the Museo Correr.
Link and Zelda
Currently in 3rd place
Location: Outside Il Forte Gelato, Alto Mare
"We should Seek, Zel, because I can't sneak around as well as I used to." Link said.
"But how will we find it?" Zelda asked.
Link was about to answer when he saw Pikachu and Pichu dash off in the direction behind them. "Follow Pikachu and Pichu! They might be doing the same thing we are!"
"Got it!" Zelda replied as they followed suit after Pikachu and Pichu.
Roy and Lilina
Currently in 4th place
Location: Outside Il Forte Gelato, Alto Mare
"Hide or Seek...hmm...what to do..." Roy pondered.
"Hey!" Lilina said suddenly. Roy turned to the azure-haired mage, and she exclaimed pointing to the Museum, "There's Link and Zelda following Pikachu and Pichu!"
"Follow the leader, huh?" Roy asked as they rushed off after the teams.
Fox and Falco
Currently in 5th place
Location: Outside Il Forte Gelato, Alto Mare
"I say we should Hide." Fox said.
"If you say so..." Falco quipped.
Peach and Samus
Currently in 6th place
Location: Outside Il Forte Gelato, Alto Mare
"Feel like hiding?" Samus asked.
"Ooh, I wanna see what being a spy is like!" Peach replied whimsically.
"Fine. We'll Hide." Samus and Peach ran off, Peach digging through her pack for her skin-tight super spy suit. (That's a lot of S's...)
Bowser and Ganondorf
Currently in 7th place
Location: Outside Il Forte Gelato, Alto Mare
"I say we should Hide because blahblahblahblahblahblahblahLinkissuchapansyblahblahblahblahblahblahblahblahNesswearsathongblahblahblahblahblahblahblahblahblahblahPeachisstupidblahblahblahblah and that's why we should do it." Bowser remarked.
"Oookay..." Ganondorf said.
Piazza San Marco
Fox, Falco, Ganondorf, Bowser, Peach, and Samus gathered at the plaza where they saw clues lying in a pile on the other side. However, there was a platoon of decorated guards marching around in a crazy pattern around the plaza. Seeing the guards, Ganondorf said, "What were you thinking, Bowser? Do you know how many guards there are? Geez, what are the chances of succeeding..."
"Let's see..." Bowser said. "One: I thought absolutely nothing because I was on an ice cream high. Two: there's a platoon of guards, and a platoon is equivalent to 50. Three: we have a 7 chance if we take into account humidity, wind chill factor, distractions, adrenaline concentration and the patterns of the guards' movement."
"Holy crap..." Ganondorf said.
"You've been watching NUMB3RS again, haven't you?" Falco muttered.
"Yep." Everyone had sweatdropped at this, including the readers, Nintendo Nut1, and Zephyr Analea.
Pikachu and Pichu
Currently in 1st place
Location: Several nameless alleys, Alto Mare
Pikachu and Pichu were making their way through the alleys and gulleys of Alto Mare with a mission: locate the Hidden Garden and retrieve the clue from Latias. However, Pichu kept turning around. Seeing nothing, he kept following Pikachu. Unbeknownst to them, all the other teams were following them.
"Hey, Pikachu?" Pichu squeaked. "Do you have the strange sensation that there's someone following us?"
"Yeah...it's unnerving." Pikachu said, glancing around.
Roy and Lilina
Currently in 2nd place
Location: Several nameless alleys, Alto Mare
"Hey, wait a minute..." Roy revealed the iPod and pressed the play button. Before him, he saw a fragment of the Pokèmon Heroes movie that showed the location of the Hidden Garden. "Lilina! We can use this to locate that garden."
"Well, what are we doing, then? Let's go!" Lilina scared the crap out of Pikachu and Pichu as she jumped out of the box she was hiding in and followed Roy, Pikachu and Pichu chasing after them and shooting thunderbolts all the while.
Piazza San Marco
"That...was weird." one of the guards replied. "Hey, did you just see something dart behind the pillars?"
"Didn't see anything." the second guard replied. "Are you sure you saw something?"
"Yes!" the first guard vexed. "I swear to God that-"
"OH MY GOD! HE JUST SWORE!" Peach shrieked from behind a pillar.
"What the hell was that?" a guard asked. "Did you hear that?"
"No duh." a fourth guard snapped. "We all heard that. Not unless we're victims of mass hypnotism from that Indian tribe-what a bore our boss is with those stories from India, they are-, we all heard that. Hiyoup! Who's there?"
"No one but us pillars..." Falco said sarcastically.
"Oh. Carry on, Mr. Pillar." the guards replied as they went back to patrolling the plaza.
"Damn. That worked. Am I good or what?" Falco remarked, feeling full of himself.
Roy and Lilina
Currently in 1st place
Location: The Hidden Garden, Alto Mare
"Roy...look!" Lilina squealed as they approached the gardens. "It's beautiful!"
"Whoa..." The gardens, overflowing with water and lush greenery, complemented with the fine Italian architecture of Alto Mare, really were appealing to the eye. Strolling through, Roy had pulled Lilina close to him and asked, "Are you glad I went with you on this journey?"
"Yeah...thanks. You've always been my greatest friend, and...um...I really like you for that..." Lilina stammered as Roy felt his cheeks burn. Lilina somehow tripped and fell backwards onto Roy, causing them both to blush even harder. At this time a Pokèmon flew up to them and stared at them. Getting a closer look, Roy and Lilina noticed that it was a huge white and red dragon. Its wings stuck out stiffly from its body and it looked down at them with large, cute golden eyes, white tufts of feathers sticking up from its head like pigtails. "Is this Latias? Ooh, so kawaii!" Lilina squealed as the Latias cried out happily. It flew off and out of their sight, causing them to cock their heads in curiosity. Several minutes later it came back with a clue in its mouth and dropped it at Roy's feet, crying happily in its cute voice.
"For us?" Roy asked. Taking the clue, he thanked Latias and hugged it, and Lilina did the same before running out of the garden. Reading the clue after they rushed out of the hidden garden, Roy repeated, "'Make your way to the next Pit Stop, the Museo Correr...'"
"Teams must now make their way to the Museo Correr in the center of Alto Mare, which is known as one of the best and most well-known museums in all of Nintendo." Nintendo Nut1 said. "This museum, which also displays the Defense Mechanism of Alto Mare featured in the movie Pokèmon Heroes, is the Pit Stop for this leg of the race. The last team to check in will be eliminated."
"Well, we're done here, so let's go." Roy said.
"Wait!" Lilina ran back into the gardens, leaving Roy to stare in wonderment for several minutes. Sometime later, Lilina came back out of the garden, a digital camera strung around her neck. "I just had to get a picture! It's so kawaii!"
"Okay, okay. Shall we go now?" Receiving a nod from Lilina, she and Roy rushed out of the alleys to avoid giving away the location of the hidden garden.
Piazza San Marco
"... ... ... Wuoooohhhhhhh!" one of the guards groaned.
"Listen! It is the guardian's signal... The battle soon begins..." a rat-faced guard shouted.
"Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhh..." the guard repeated.
"I wonder how many men lost their lives after hearing the yell of this brute? Those who call him the mad beast warrior were fairly accurate..." the rat-face said.
"You ate the rotten bagel, didn't you?" a third guard asked the first. The first guard nodded, clutching his stomach in pain.
"Man, the guards get stranger and stranger each minute..." Falco quipped, who was a pillar away from retrieving the clue. He then toned his ear to another conversation between the guards.
"98... ... 99... ... and... ...100! Phew... If the boss finds me, he's going to make me do that training... So I have to keep training just to avoid his training! ...Wahh!" one of the guards shrieked.
"Tsk! You were...hiding! You go through so much just to avoid my training..." the boss bellowed to the point everyone on the plaza grounds heard them. "But I won't give up!"
"Ahh, it's no good..." the guard panted, beginning his run. "He's just going to catch me eventually... Normally, I would be ecstatic to train to become a supervisor... But that guy's just too much! ...How long can I keep running? Hanhh...Hanhh..."
"Sucks to be him." Bowser remarked.
"Indeed..." Ganondorf concurred.
"Hush!" Peach agonized. Falco, however, took this time to scurry over to the pile of clues and swiped one. Using Fox Illusions, he escaped the guards' attention and gave the clue to Fox.
"Good job," he complimented. "Museo Correr...let's shove off."
Link and Zelda
Currently in 3rd place
Location: The Hidden Garden, Alto Mare
"Link...look at how beautiful this is!" Zelda exclaimed, pointing to the many flowers and trees scattered throughout the garden.
"Yeah...beautiful..." Link replied, getting lost in both the garden and Zelda. 'Wow...she's so beautiful...' Strolling through the paradise, he found a morning glory (Zelda's favorite flower), picked it and gave it to Zelda, who just blushed and giggled girlishly.
"Oh, thank you, Link! I'm probably the luckiest girl in the world to be with someone like you..."
"Heh heh heh...whoa, what's that?" Link asked.
"What's what?" Zelda turned around and noticed the Latias swooping up to them. Of course, not knowing what the Pokèmon was, Link and Zelda couldn't help but scream.
Blinking with its golden eyes, the Latias cried out in annoyance and flew off. Link and Zelda were relieved, but screamed again when Latias flew back towards them. Zelda, however, noticed the clue in its mouth. "Link, stop that!" she vexed. Showing no disposition of stopping, she gave Link a sharp slap on the cheek, before he gasped and hiccupped into silence.
"Ow...what the hell was that for!" Link spluttered, rubbing the reddened area on his face where Zelda slapped him.
"Umm...I think that's Latias." Zelda said, pointing eloquently to the red and white dragon hovering in front of them.
"Oh...oops." Taking the clue, Link and Zelda had left the garden, but not before apologizing to the poor Latias and hugging it, causing it to cry out happily before flying off.
Pikachu and Pichu
Currently in 1st place
Location: A bridge several miles away from Museo Correr
"Man, how the hell did this happen?" Pikachu replied. "We think the bridge will take us to the Museum, but it leads us through the whole city!"
"Hey, you said you knew where we were going." Pichu yelled.
"Oh, shut up."
Piazza San Marco
"Now what?" Bowser replied. "We still haven't reached the damn clue!"
"I have an idea." Ganondorf replied. After several whisperings, Bowser and Ganondorf hooked up their boom box to a nearby pillar with an electric socket and started playing the Mission: Impossible theme song. This caught the guards' attention, and they made their way to the boom box's location. Ganondorf then produced a sleep gas grenade from the inner sanctum of his pants pocket.
"Behold, this gas grenade will knock out the guards soundly and not produce any long-term side effects." Tossing into the crowd, the grenade produced a sweet-smelling pinkish gas that abruptly knocked out the guards. Bowser and Ganondorf, along with Peach and Samus, grabbed the clue and bolted before the guards awoke.
Pikachu and Pichu
Currently in 1st place
Location: A small island 1.5 miles from the Museo Correr
"Oh, hell no..." Pikachu spluttered as Bowser and Ganondorf caught up to them.
"Ha-ha! Take this!" Ganondorf replied. He pulled his foot back and kicked Pikachu with all his strength, kicked Pikachu so hard he ended up flying away and becoming a star, crying out "You'll pay for this!" before disappearing into the night sky. "There. No more Pikachu to mess up our plans!"
"HOW DARE YOU!" Pichu screamed.
"Hey, as you said, all's fair in racing and war!" Bowser teased before rushing off towards the Museum.
"I NEVER SAID THAT!" Pichu screamed.
"WHY ARE WE TALKING WITH CAPITAL LETTERS?" Roy asked, popping up behind Pichu and being electrocuted shortly after.
"SHUT UP!" Pichu squealed, running after Bowser and Ganondorf.
"I think someone left the Caps Lock on too long..." Lilina reported. "My dialogue isn't in capital letters."
"I see..." Zelda said who just happened to be right behind them.
"Hey! Where'd you come from!"
"I see you teleported..." Mewtwo remarked as he and Ness popped up behind Link, Zelda, Roy and Lilina.
"Yeek! Don't do that!" Lilina squeaked, clutching Roy in fear and abruptly letting go of the crimson-haired swordsman, her face as red as an apple.
"I couldn't resist."
"MEWTWO-SAMA!" Zephyr Analea squealed, running up to him and hugging him. "OH, I'm so glad you're not last!"
"Well, aren't-a they never-a last?" Mario said as he and Luigi ran up behind them.
"We will be if we keep wagging our tongues like this!" Falco concurred, his and Fox's appearance as abrupt as ever.
"Come on, let's go..." Marth replied as he and Sheeda appeared behind them. Afterwards, the group of Smashers ran towards the Museo Correr.
The Museo Correr
At the small concrete island that held the palace-façade museum, Bowser and Ganondorf had run up to the connecting bridge at the end, gasping and huffing having run out of breath. "Man, we're first!" Bowser replied. "We are da shiznits!"
"Hey!" Pichu yelled, running up behind them. "You're not going to get away with this!"
"And what will happen? A star will attack us?" Ganondorf taunted, smacking Pichu. "Pikachu is gone and there's nothing you can do about it!"
"Umm...Ganondorf?" Bowser stammered.
"What? Can you not see I am in gloat mode?" Ganondorf muttered, annoyed.
"But..." Bowser pointed to the sky. Ganondorf looked up, and he saw a flaming object in the sky that was approaching the Nintendo world, hurdling at them at full speed. Closer inspection found that it was Pikachu, whom Ganondorf kicked into space, and he was on fire. Literally. "Oh, that's hot!" Pikachu screamed as he entered the atmosphere, aimed at Bowser and Ganondorf like a homing missile.
"Oh shit..."
Pikachu collided with them at 700 mph, and a huge explosion was heard throughout the canal-laced city. Roy, Link, Mewtwo and the others were literally thrown off their feet and into the other buildings as the impact caused an earthquake that could be felt all around the world.
"Holy shit!" Lilina squeaked, brushing dirt and debris off her cloak. "What was that!"
"I thought it was the end..." Link spluttered.
"What are we doing standing around!" Mewtwo vexed. "Let us locate this meteor and implore on this conversation later!"
"YEAH! GO MEWTWO!" Zephyr Analea squealed offstage.
Pichu had to cover his eyes to avoid the smoke that erupted from the impact site. When the smoke cleared, Pichu was stunned. Strangely enough, the Museum had barely been touched, but the island it was built on and a few other islands around it were shattered into huge slabs of concrete, tile and glass. A small temple that was built on the impact site had collapsed into the nearby ocean, some marble pillars and stained granite the only indication it stood on the plot in the first place. Several other buildings and the connecting bridge had sunk into the canal, and Pichu could just make out the Il Forte Gelato Ice Cream Parlor only inches away from the devastation. Bowser and Ganondorf were unconscious and lying in a foot-deep crater in the Museum courtyard, and a minute later Pikachu emerged from the pile of rubble created in the impact. "Ugh...what happened?"
"Ganondorf kicked you into space, and you came back as a meteor and flattened them and the city of Alto Mare." Pichu said.
"Holy shit..."
"Let's go!" Pichu replied, dragging him into the Museum. Inside, Nintendo Nut1, Zephyr Analea, and a third girl was waiting for them in front of a giant machine with crazy dials, metals and stuff, which Pichu guessed was the Defense Mechanism of Alto Mare. Gazing upon the girls, he noticed the new girl had gold eyes and chestnut hair styled like Latias: tufts of chestnut hair sticking up from her head like pigtails. Upon her hair was a large white beret, and she wore a green blouse, a short white skirt, black knee-high socks and bright pink loafers. She was also carrying a portfolio that had various art supplies sticking out from different pockets of the nylon container. Striding up to Nintendo Nut1, Pichu and Pikachu saw the chestnut vision reply, "Hello! Welcome to Alto Mare! Hi, Pikachu, how's life?"
"Pikachu and Pichu, you are team number 1!" Nintendo Nut1 said.
"That's good..." Pikachu replied. He then turned to stare at the chestnut girl, and then said, "It's fine, Bianca. How is it in the art world?"
"Busy." Bianca replied. "Some of the most famous artists in the world have been asking me for lessons in drawing people and Pokèmon."
"Wow, you know this girl?" Pichu asked. He pulled a camera from his satchel and asked, "Hey, can I get your picture?"
"Sure, but it's probably unnecessary. Besides, they made a figurine of me and put it into your Souvenir Set for this leg of the race." Bianca then handed them a blue-and-red striped box with a Poke Ball symbol and watched as they opened it. She then looked out the window and noted, "By Ho-oh's Fire...the island is decimated!"
"It's a long story..." Pikachu replied as Roy, Lilina, Link, Zelda, Ness, Mewtwo, Mario, Luigi, Fox, Falco, Marth, and Sheeda ran up to the world mat.
"Whoa...so many teams...YAY!" Nintendo Nut1 squealed, and continued, "Roy and Lilina, Link and Zelda, Ness and Mewtwo, Mario and Luigi, Fox and Falco, and Marth and Sheeda...you are teams 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7, respectively."
"That's good..." Mewtwo muttered.
"Yeah, I'm glad you made it." Zephyr Analea stepped up to Mewtwo and planted a quick kiss on his cheek. She turned around and said, "I gotta go and start writing again, because my adoring fans wait. Parting is such sweet sorrow; We will meet again, though! See ya!" With that, Zephyr Analea grabbed Souvenir Set 3 (see chapter 4 for details) teleported away from the Museum, leaving a smoke cloud where she once stood.
"Man, again with the dramatic exits?" Yoshi vexed as he and DK popped up behind them. "Seriously, they have got to stop with those..."
"Well, Yoshi and DK, you're the 8th team to arrive." Nintendo Nut1 said.
"That's good." DK said.
Afterwards, Dr. Mario and Young Link and Peach and Samus breezed on through, leaving the team of villains in last place. "I'm actually quite glad to say that you are the last to arrive. You are eliminated from the race." Nintendo Nut1 said. Bianca handed them a Souvenir Set, and they watched as Bowser and Ganondorf limped out of the Museum.
"Well, that was fun..." Ganondorf quipped.
"Yeah, that last decision came back to bite us, literally." Bowser agreed. "But it's been cool to be on the Amazing Race."
"Indeed..."
I swear traffic lights are out to get us. See, we were rushing to get to school, and we got stopped by several stoplights on our way to school! We ended up barely on the so I can take the SAT's. Now, you're probably wondering, "Why the hell would you want to not be late for school if all you're going to do is just take the SAT's?" Well, I'm off tomorrow (April 22, 2005) and Monday (April 25, 2005, my BIRTHDAY! YAYNESS!), and latecomers have to take the SAT's on their day off! Screwed up, huh? Anyway, if you want to be a co-host on my story, I can't stress this enough: include the following in your application!
Penname:
Age:
Favorite Smasher:
Description:
GENDER!
hair color
eye color
your attire
race
personality
any personality quirks
The following Souvenir Set will be awarded to the lucky person who becomes the next co-host:
The Museo Correr miniature
A Bianca figurine
Maps of Alto Mare
A Guidebook to Alto Mare
The Guide to Alto Mare for Dummies book
A new weapon of your choice
The Pokèmon Heroes DVD
Farewell! Until next time!
Gamer21